Tag: vocabulary

Episode 3 of 2Ts in a Pod is live! We’re talking about food, glorious food! We interviewed Nicole Hooks and Abbi Nelliug about US Southern soul food and traditional Dominican food respectively. Nicole speaks about her southern food pop-up supper club Sarah Juliette’s Southern Kitchen. Click the link below to find out more, she’s got an event coming up this weekend. Also, check out the recipe for the delicious gumbo that we taste on the show.

This is a reading and vocabulary lesson plan for higher level students based around an example of a holiday diary. It works well as a model for CPE article tasks about travelling. Download the power point and handout below:

Show the power point and have students discuss the questions as a warmer.

Give out the handout and have students complete the exercises.

Encourage students to write a similar holiday diary for homework.

Holiday Diary

What do you know about Madagascar? Have you ever been there? Would you like to?

Read the text and tell your partner is this type if holiday would be your cup of tea.

Madagascar

We’re quite adventurous so your standard beach holiday doesn’t really cut it for us so after umming and ahhing for a few months we finally settled on a trip to Madagascar. We had set our sights on exploring the denseundergrowth of Madagascar’s jungles and maybe catching a glimpse of some of its famed wildlife.

We flew into the capital Antananarivo, no sooner had we stepped off the plane than we were hit by a wave of intense heat, Madagascar has a really humid climate so the sweat was pouring down our faces in no time at all. Antananarivo is bustling with life with a mindboggling network of haphazard back streets in which you can lose yourself in the blink of an eye. Apart from the hotel we’d booked online we’d decided to play it by ear for the rest of the trip so we set about looking for a guide to take us into the lush vegetation of the surrounding rainforests. Unfortunately there was a mix-up with our luggage that set us back 2 hours but eventually we picked up our suitcases and set off on our mission.

As a city, Antananarivo isn’t much to write home about, it’s pretty grimy and run-down and our taxi ride into the city centre was pretty fraught. When we finally arrived at our hotel it looked a sorry sight, not what we’d been led to believe in the brochure. However, we’re not really big on creature comforts so we didn’t mind. Luckily, the hotel organised guided-tours of the rainforest and there was one leaving the very next day.

We were up at the crack of dawn the next day to board the rickety old minibus that was going to take us out into the middle of nowhere to begin our adventure. The bus journey was a little bit hairy as the road was little more than a track with potholes everywhere. We gradually wound our way up through the mountainous landscape which surrounds the city until we reached the summit of one of the foothills where we stopped for a picnic. The views of the rainforest stretching out in front of us were a real sight to behold, never before have I seen such an awe-inspiring sight…

Read the text again and decide if these statements are true of false.

The author likes beach holidays T/F

Antananarivo is a difficult city to navigate around T/F

They had the whole trip planned out beforehand T/F

Their luggage was put on the wrong plane T/F

They liked Antananarivo T/F

The hotel was different to the description in the brochure T/F

They don’t mind roughing it T/F

The journey to the rainforest was relaxing T/F

They were impressed by the views from the foothill T/F

Look at the expressions in bold, discuss their meaning with a partner.

Look at the expressions again and try to categorise them.

What can you remember? Work with a partner.

Madagascar

We’re quite adventurous so your standard beach holiday doesn’t really ___ (1) it for us so after ________(2) and ahhing for a few months we finally settled ______(3) a trip to Madagascar. We had set our ___________(4) on exploring the _________(5) undergrowth of Madagascar’s jungles and maybe catching a ____________(6) of some of its famed wildlife.

We flew into the capital Antananarivo, no sooner had we stepped off the plane than we were hit by a wave of intense heat, Madagascar has a really humid climate so the sweat was pouring down our faces in no time at all. Antananarivo is ___________(7) with life with a mindboggling network of ________________ (8) back streets in which you can lose yourself in the blink of an eye. Apart from the hotel we’d booked online we’d decided to play it by ________(9) for the rest of the trip so we set __________(10) looking for a guide to take us into the ___________(11) vegetation of the surrounding rainforests. Unfortunately there was a _________(12) with our luggage that set us _________(13) 2 hours but eventually we picked up our suitcases and set off on our mission.

As a city, Antananarivo isn’t much to write home about, it’s pretty ________(14) and run-down and our taxi ride into the city centre was pretty fraught. When we finally arrived at our hotel it looked a ________ (15) sight, not what we’d been __________(16) to believe in the brochure. However, we’re not really big on creature ______________(17) so we didn’t mind. Luckily, the hotel organised guided-tours of the rainforest and there was one leaving the very next day.

We were up at the ____________(18) of dawn the next day to board the rickety old minibus that was going to take us out into the ____________(19) of nowhere to begin our adventure. The bus journey was a little bit __________(20) as the road was little more than a track with potholes everywhere. We gradually wound our way up through the mountainous landscape which surrounds the city until we reached the summit of one of the foothills where we stopped for a picnic. The views of the rainforest stretching out in front of us were a real sight to ________(21) never before have I seen such an awe-______________(22) sight…

Memory

Cover the text and try to retell the story using as much of the vocabulary as you can.

Personalise

Have you ever had a similar experience? Tell your partner about it using the vocabulary.

This is yet another Christmas based activity, this one is for low-levels and young learners. Students work together to complete a Christmas themed crossword. Download the lesson plan and handout below:

Play hangman with “Merry Christmas” to go over the alphabet. Then, once they have guessed the word test and teach students ordinal numbers (first, second, third etc.) like so:

What is the first letter in “merry”? M

What is the sixth letter in “Christmas”? T

etc.

Write up the different ordinal numbers and drill pronunciation if necessary.

Christmas Crossword

In the handout above there are two versions of the crossword: The first version is just a standard worksheet that students could complete in pairs. The second version is a more communicative version.

Communicative Crossword

If you choose to try the communicative version, follow these steps:

Put students in pairs, and label them A and B

Give out the A handout to the As and B to the Bs.

Tell students that they MUST NOT look at each other’s worksheet.

They have to work together to complete the crossword in English.

Student A has all the “across” clues and student B has all the “down” clues.

Student A reads a clue to student B and they try to figure out what the word could be, they then use the letters to get ideas about what the connecting words could be. This is where the ordinal numbers (the 6th letter is an “r” etc.)

Note: This activity works best as revision as it might be too difficult for young learners if they haven’t encountered these words before.

The winning team is the team that completes the crossword correctly first.

This is an updated version of my CAE/C1 ice-breaking activity for the first class of a course. Click this link to the prezi (you’ll only need the first 5 slides).

Obviously it’s tailored to my interests but you’ll get the idea and be able to adapt to your own.

First I flash up the sentences with the adjective/verb + preposition combination (petrified of) etc. and tell them that some are true and some are false. They have to decide which are true and which are false in pairs. Award points to the pairs who guess correctly.

Then test them on the prepositions by flashing up the slide with them omitted. Then they have to write 4 sentences using the same combinations, some true some false and read them to their partner, who has to guess which are T/F.

Then the next bit is 6 sentences with some nice phrases about personal interests etc. “I’m into….” etc. I show them my examples (they’re all true) and let them ask me some questions. Then they have to complete the sentences so they’re true for them.

Then they have to mingle around the class reading their sentences to each other, flash up the expressions for showing interest: Uh-huh, mm-hmmm etc. and encourage them to use them. Tell them that they should try to remember as much information as they can about their classmates. While they do this, monitor and board any emergent language to look at later.

After 10 mins or so have them sit down and split them into two teams. Select one member from the first team, the other team then has to remember as much as they can about that person:

“He’s into football and rugby.”

“He has a burning ambition to meet Messi.” etc.

Award 1 point for each correct bit of info. The idea is that they’re recycling the 6 expressions over and over and getting to know each other at the same time.

This is a vocabulary activity for adults intermediate students. Students will learn some vocabulary related to the world of work and put it to use in a discussion. Download the handout and teacher’s notes below:

Procedure

Give out the handout and have students complete the questions with one word from the box. Check their answers, students then ask and answer the questions in pairs or groups of three. Feed back in open class.

Students then try to name the different tradespeople then ask and answer the discussion questions.

This is the lesson plan I designed for my DELTA vocabulary assignment. It is designed for B2 students. Students read online dating profiles and decide if the people are compatible and then learn compound adjectives and put them to use in a discussion. Download the students’ materials, powerpoint and lesson plans below:

Read Jon and Sally’s dating profiles below. Do you think they are compatible? Why? Why not?

Jon, 26 years old, Edinburgh.

I’m a hard-working medical student from Aberdeen in Scotland. I go to the gym four times a week so I’m quite well-built. I do a lot of voluntary work and I’m training to be a doctor.

Turn-ons

I’m crazy about blonde-haired, blue-eyed women, I find them really attractive. I like women who are open-minded because I love travelling and trying new experiences.

Turn-offs

I really don’t like selfish people, with some people it’s all “me, me, me” and I can’t stand that. Another big turn-off for me is narrow-minded people, there are so many wonderful places to visit and people to meet in the world and I can’t wait to get started.

Sally, 25 years old, York.

I’m a fun-loving advertising executive from York in northern England. My job is well-paid but quite stressful so I like to have a good time at the weekends. I also like to do sport and help out at the local children’s hospital once a month.

Turn-ons

I’m into dark-haired mysterious men, but the most important thing for me is that they are kind-hearted, adventurous and have a good sense of humour. I read a lot and like having a good debate so I’m looking for someone who is well-educated.

Turn-offs

The biggest turn-off for me is big-headed guys, I can’t bear people who think they are better than others. I also don’t like bad-tempered people, I’m an optimist and I always try to see things in a positive way.

Read the texts and underline all the compound adjectives you can find.

Language focus

Match the compound adjective (1-12) to its definition (A-L)

1. I’m a hard-working medical student.

A. Someone who often gets angry.

2. I’m crazy about blonde-haired, blue-eyed women.

B. Someone who is strong and has muscles.

3. I’m a fun-loving PhD student.

C. Someone who works hard.

4. I’m looking for someone who is well-educated.

D. Someone who is nice and generous.

5. I don’t like big-headed people.

E. Someone who has blonde hair. Someone who has blue eyes.

6. My job is well-paid but stressful.

F. Someone who likes to socialise and have a good time.

7. I also don’t like bad-tempered people.

G. An arrogant person who thinks they are better than others.

8. I go to the gym four times a week so I’m quite well-built.

H. Someone with brown or black hair.

9. The most important thing for me is that they are kind-hearted.

I. Someone who is open to different opinions and activities.

10. I’m into dark-haired mysterious men.

J. An intolerant person who doesn’t listen to other people’s opinions.

11. I like women who are open-minded because I love travelling.

K. Something you earn a good salary for.

12. Another big turn-off for me is narrow-minded people.

L. An intelligent person with a good education.

Form

Put the different compound adjectives in the correct box:

A. Adjective + noun + -ed

1. Narrow-minded

2. _________________________

3. _________________________

4. _________________________

5. _________________________

6. _________________________

7. _________________________

8. _________________________

B. Adverb + past participle

1. Well-built

2. __________________________

3. __________________________

C. Adjective/noun + …ing

1. _________________________

2. _________________________

Pronunciation

Look at the phonemic script of the compound adjectives:

In which adjective is the “-ed” pronounced as an extra syllable?

Which syllable is stressed in the compound adjectives?

Blue-eyed – | bluːˈaɪd |

Well-educated – | welˈedʒʊkeɪtɪd |

Blonde-haired – | blɒndˈheəd |

Big-headed – | bɪɡˈhedɪd |

What’s different about the stress in this one?

Fun-loving |ˈfʌnˈlʌvɪŋ |

Practice

Take turns to ask these questions to your partner to test your memory.

What do you call someone with blue eyes?

What do you call someone with blonde hair?

What do you call someone who has dark hair?

What do you call someone who has a good education?

What do you call a job with a good salary?

What do you call an arrogant person?

What do you call a person who is often angry?

What do you call someone who is open to new experiences and opinions?

What do you call someone who isn’t open to new experiences and opinions?

What do you call someone with muscles?

What do you call a nice, generous person?

What do you call someone who isn’t lazy?

What do you call an active, sociable person?

Use the different forms of compounding to make more compound adjectives to answer the questions.

What do you call a crocodile that eats men?

What do you call someone who writes with their left hand?

What do you call a job with a bad salary?

What do you call a child that behaves well?

What do you call someone who looks good?

Discussion

Discuss these questions with your partner using the compound adjectives.